Alexander Godunov
Encyclopedia
Alexander Borisovich Godunov (Russian
: ; November 28, 1949May 18, 1995) was a Russia
n-American
ballet
danseur and film actor, whose defection
caused a diplomatic incident between the USA
and the USSR.
, Russian SFSR
, Soviet Union
. Alexander began his ballet studies in Riga
in 1958 in the class with Mikhail Baryshnikov
. The two became friends and helped each other throughout their studies throughout their years there. He joined the Bolshoi Ballet
in 1971 and rose to become premier danseur. His teachers there included Aleksey Yermolayev
. In 1973, he won a gold medal at the Moscow International Competition.
After playing Lemisson, the Royal Musician in a 1978 Soviet adaptation of The Thirty-first of June by J. B. Priestley
, Godunov became well known in the Soviet Union
as a movie actor. His roles included Vronsky in Anna Karenina in 1974.
in New York City
, Godunov contacted authorities and asked for political asylum. After discovering his absence, the KGB
responded by putting his wife, Lyudmila Vlasova, a soloist with the company, on a plane to Moscow
, but the flight was stopped before take-off while the State Department tried to determine whether she was leaving voluntarily. US diplomats arrived at the plane with a US passport ready for Vlasova, but she declined, so authorities allowed the flight.
Then U.S. President Jimmy Carter
and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev
became involved in the incident. Finally, after three days, the plane was allowed to take off, returning Vlasova to her family in Russia. Godunov spent a year trying to get her back, but to no avail. The two of them were divorced in 1982.
. The official reason for his release from the company was that there would not be sufficient roles for him after a change in the repertory and he was fired. He traveled with his own troupes, danced as a guest artist with different prominent ballet companies worldwide, and turned to acting in Hollywood.
Godunov's roles were varied, including a good-natured Amish
farmer in Witness
(1985), a comically narcissistic symphony conductor (referred to as "the maestro") in The Money Pit
(1986), and a violent German terrorist in Die Hard
(1988). He seemed to be destined for stardom, but turned down many roles which typecast him as a dancer or a villain like in "Die Hard." His career was sidelined for quite some time.
He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1987. He was also involved in a long-standing romance with actress Jacqueline Bisset
, which ended in 1988.
, where Godunov was found dead of alcohol abuse with complications from hepatitis. He was 45 years old.
It was not immediately clear how long he had been dead; a friend stated she had not heard from him since April 8. In a statement issued shortly after his death, Godunov's publicist, Evelyn Shriver said "He did not have AIDS, or commit suicide... This was a very happy time of his life... "
His ashes were released into the Pacific Ocean; his memorial at Gates Mortuary in Los Angeles is engraved with the epitaph "His future remained in the past."
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: ; November 28, 1949May 18, 1995) was a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
danseur and film actor, whose defection
Defection
In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state or political entity in exchange for allegiance to another. More broadly, it involves abandoning a person, cause or doctrine to whom or to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty.This term is also applied,...
caused a diplomatic incident between the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the USSR.
Biography
Godunov was born in SakhalinSakhalin
Sakhalin or Saghalien, is a large island in the North Pacific, lying between 45°50' and 54°24' N.It is part of Russia, and is Russia's largest island, and is administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast...
, Russian SFSR
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic , commonly referred to as Soviet Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or simply Russia, was the largest, most populous and economically developed republic in the former Soviet Union....
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. Alexander began his ballet studies in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
in 1958 in the class with Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor, often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. After a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he defected to Canada in 1974...
. The two became friends and helped each other throughout their studies throughout their years there. He joined the Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Ballet
The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies, however it only achieved worldwide acclaim by the early 20th century, when Moscow became the...
in 1971 and rose to become premier danseur. His teachers there included Aleksey Yermolayev
Aleksey Yermolayev
Aleksey Nikolayevich Yermolayev was a Soviet baller dancer, choreographer, and teacher. He played an important role in the development of Russian ballet between 1920 and 1950, and he was considered an outstanding actor....
. In 1973, he won a gold medal at the Moscow International Competition.
After playing Lemisson, the Royal Musician in a 1978 Soviet adaptation of The Thirty-first of June by J. B. Priestley
J. B. Priestley
John Boynton Priestley, OM , known as J. B. Priestley, was an English novelist, playwright and broadcaster. He published 26 novels, notably The Good Companions , as well as numerous dramas such as An Inspector Calls...
, Godunov became well known in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as a movie actor. His roles included Vronsky in Anna Karenina in 1974.
Defection from USSR
On August 21, 1979, while on a tour with the Bolshoi BalletBolshoi Ballet
The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies, however it only achieved worldwide acclaim by the early 20th century, when Moscow became the...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Godunov contacted authorities and asked for political asylum. After discovering his absence, the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
responded by putting his wife, Lyudmila Vlasova, a soloist with the company, on a plane to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, but the flight was stopped before take-off while the State Department tried to determine whether she was leaving voluntarily. US diplomats arrived at the plane with a US passport ready for Vlasova, but she declined, so authorities allowed the flight.
Then U.S. President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
became involved in the incident. Finally, after three days, the plane was allowed to take off, returning Vlasova to her family in Russia. Godunov spent a year trying to get her back, but to no avail. The two of them were divorced in 1982.
Later career
Godunov joined the American Ballet Theater and danced as a principal until 1982 when he had a falling-out with his long-time friend and director of the company Mikhail BaryshnikovMikhail Baryshnikov
Mikhail Nikolaevich Baryshnikov is a Soviet and American dancer, choreographer, and actor, often cited alongside Vaslav Nijinsky and Rudolf Nureyev as one of the greatest ballet dancers of the 20th century. After a promising start in the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad, he defected to Canada in 1974...
. The official reason for his release from the company was that there would not be sufficient roles for him after a change in the repertory and he was fired. He traveled with his own troupes, danced as a guest artist with different prominent ballet companies worldwide, and turned to acting in Hollywood.
Godunov's roles were varied, including a good-natured Amish
Amish
The Amish , sometimes referred to as Amish Mennonites, are a group of Christian church fellowships that form a subgroup of the Mennonite churches...
farmer in Witness
Witness (1985 film)
Witness is a 1985 American thriller film directed by Peter Weir and starring Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis. The screenplay by William Kelley, Pamela Wallace, and Earl W...
(1985), a comically narcissistic symphony conductor (referred to as "the maestro") in The Money Pit
The Money Pit
The Money Pit is a 1986 comedy film and remake of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. Directed by Richard Benjamin and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, the film stars Tom Hanks and Shelley Long as a couple who attempt to renovate a recently purchased house. The Money Pit was filmed in New...
(1986), and a violent German terrorist in Die Hard
Die Hard
Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
(1988). He seemed to be destined for stardom, but turned down many roles which typecast him as a dancer or a villain like in "Die Hard." His career was sidelined for quite some time.
He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1987. He was also involved in a long-standing romance with actress Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset
Jacqueline Bisset is an English actress. She has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award. She is known for her roles in the films Bullitt , Airport , The Deep , Class , and the TV series Nip/Tuck in 2006...
, which ended in 1988.
Death
On May 18, 1995 his friends became concerned when he had been uncharacteristically quiet with his phone calls. A nurse was sent to his home in the Shoreham Towers, West Hollywood, CaliforniaWest Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
, where Godunov was found dead of alcohol abuse with complications from hepatitis. He was 45 years old.
It was not immediately clear how long he had been dead; a friend stated she had not heard from him since April 8. In a statement issued shortly after his death, Godunov's publicist, Evelyn Shriver said "He did not have AIDS, or commit suicide... This was a very happy time of his life... "
His ashes were released into the Pacific Ocean; his memorial at Gates Mortuary in Los Angeles is engraved with the epitaph "His future remained in the past."
Filmography as dancer
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1971 1971 in film The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 8 - Bob Dylan's hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New York's Academy of Music... |
Moskovskaya Fantaziya | Young Dancer |
1974 1974 in film The year 1974 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in the USA.*August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of The J... |
Anna Karenina | Alexei Vronsky |
1978 1978 in film The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 1 - Bob Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour premieres in Los Angeles, California.... |
Carmen-suite | Jose |
1980 1980 in film - Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year .... |
Portrait of Giselle | |
1983 1983 in film -Events:*February 11 - The Rolling Stones concert film Let's Spend the Night Together opens in New York*May 25 - Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy, is released. Like the previous films, it goes on to become the top grossing picture of... |
Godunov: The World To Dance In | himself |
Filmography as actor
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1978 1978 in film The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 1 - Bob Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour premieres in Los Angeles, California.... |
31 iyunya | Lemisson, the Royal Musician |
1985 1985 in film -Events:* 3 December - Roger Moore steps down from the role of James Bond after twelve years and seven films. He is replaced by Timothy Dalton.* The Academy Award for Best Picture was won by Out Of Africa, while the highest grossing film was Back to the Future.* Bliss wins AFI Award for best Movie... |
Witness Witness (1985 film) Witness is a 1985 American thriller film directed by Peter Weir and starring Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis. The screenplay by William Kelley, Pamela Wallace, and Earl W... |
Daniel Hochleitner |
1986 1986 in film -Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee.... |
The Money Pit The Money Pit The Money Pit is a 1986 comedy film and remake of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. Directed by Richard Benjamin and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, the film stars Tom Hanks and Shelley Long as a couple who attempt to renovate a recently purchased house. The Money Pit was filmed in New... |
Max Beissart, the Maestro |
1988 1988 in film -Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice... |
Die Hard Die Hard Die Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which... |
Karl |
1990 1990 in film The year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2.... |
The Runestone The Runestone The Runestone is a 1991 adventure/horror film, the first film written and directed by Willard Carroll. The film is an updating of the Ragnarok legend, with Fenrir being found in a runestone in Pennsylvania unearthed by archaeologists.-Plot:... |
Sigvaldson, The Clockmaker |
1992 1992 in film The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards... |
Waxwork II: Lost in Time Waxwork II: Lost in Time Waxwork II: Lost in Time is a 1992 horror/comedy film directed and written by Anthony Hickox.-Plot summary:The film opens with the final scenes of Waxwork. Then a reenactment of Mark and Sarah leaving the burning waxwork . They then part ways... |
Scarabis |
1994 1994 in film 1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time... |
North North (film) North is an American 1994 comedy film directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Elijah Wood, Bruce Willis, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Dan Aykroyd, Reba McEntire, and Alan Arkin... |
Amish Dad |
1995 1995 in film -Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation.... |
The Zone | Lothar Krasna |